What does uncomfortable mean?
Uncomfortable describes a lack of physical comfort, but its meaning also extends to emotional unease, embarrassment, awkwardness, or uncertainty. It can refer to a condition that causes discomfort, as in an uncomfortable chair or an uncomfortably hot day, and to a person's feelings, as when someone feels uncomfortable asking for help. In social contexts, the word often conveys tension or a sense that something is awkward, inappropriate, or difficult to discuss. Its related noun, discomfort, emphasizes a similarly broad range of physical and emotional sensations, while the opposite word, comfortable, conveys both physical ease and reassurance. Uncomfortable is useful because it can describe discomfort without specifying its cause: the source may be temperature, pain, anxiety, embarrassment, or simply an unsettled atmosphere.
adjectiveCausing or experiencing physical discomfort; also, causing or feeling emotional unease, embarrassment, or awkwardness.
- Causing physical discomfort or pain.
- Feeling physical discomfort or unease.
- Causing or involving emotional unease, embarrassment, or awkwardness.
"The room was uncomfortably hot, and the conversation made everyone feel uneasy."
"The narrow chair was uncomfortable, even for a short meeting."
"She felt uncomfortable when the interviewer began asking personal questions."
Uncomfortable can describe a physical sensation, an awkward social moment, or a feeling of uncertainty—making it one of English's most versatile descriptions of being at odds with the situation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does uncomfortable come from?
Uncomfortable was formed by adding the prefix un- to comfortable, meaning 'not comfortable.' The underlying word comfort comes through Old French from Latin confortare, a form of confortari meaning 'to strengthen' or 'to give courage.' Comfort originally referred to physical support or strengthening, while discomfort and its derivatives later developed both physical and emotional meanings. The formation of uncomfortable therefore reflects a long-standing opposition between ease and unease.
Related word forms
How uncomfortable is actually used
The word is common in both formal and informal English. Its emotional sense is often stronger and more figurative than the physical sense: an uncomfortable silence, for example, is awkward or tense rather than literally painful. The adverb form is commonly used to modify another adjective, as in 'uncomfortably close' or 'an uncomfortably quiet room.'